Wednesday, July 13, 2011 – In the presence of the representative of the International Community, Dr. Jovan Krkobabic, the Vice Prime Minister of Serbia in charge of Social Affairs, ceremonially handed Financial Aid Decision aimed at integration of refugees and improvement of the living conditions of IDPs to the mayors of the cities and presidents of the municipalities of the Republic of Serbia.

 The representatives of the UNHCR, the Delegation of the EU to the Republic of Serbia, the Commissariat for Refugees of the Republic of Serbia and the relevant institutions of the Republic of Serbia, AP Vojvodina and local governments attended the ceremony.

The allocated 1,300,000 Euros, from the budget of the Republic of Serbia, will provide purchase of 160 packages of building material for finalization of the started and adaptation of inadequate housing units as well as allocation of 480 packages of building material intended for economic empowerment of refugees and internally displaced persons.

These funds are the sixth tranche of financial aid intended to support the municipalities and cities that are actively involved in solving the problems of refugees and internally displaced persons on their territories. The Commissariat for Refugees of the Republic of Serbia has allocated 5,4 million Euros for support to solving housing issues of 1,200 beneficiary families and economic empowerment of 1,400 families of refugees and IDPs.

“The Government of the Republic of Serbia will continue to invest into providing dignified living conditions for all those who were, due to military actions, put into difficult positions,” said the Vice Prime Minister and added: “During the last three years of our mandate, we managed to economically empower and solve the housing issues of 5,436 families. We have also closed 28 collective centres and solved the housing issues of the 2,828 beneficiaries that had been accommodated within these centres. During 2011, we started the implementation of additional programs which envisage closing of another 10 collective centres and support a fair number of private accommodation beneficiaries. In association with socially responsible companies, we started providing housing solutions for the tenants of the informal collective centres, which will help solve existential issues of the socially vulnerable.